Roller skate



Feb. 25, 1941. A R. R. WARE ROLLER SKATE Filed Jan. 2o, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 zo 'as ze' 5a 46 INVENTOR. BY: ;Zoef /@IZ ATTORNEY,

Feb. 25, 1941. I R. WARE 2,233,355

A ROLLER SKATE Filed Jan. 20, 1940 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY5.

maar ab; 25,1941 v PATENT fori-"lcs .N

. Robert B. Ware, Chicago, lll., 'assigner to Chicago Baller Skate Commun-Chicago, Ill., a corporation of lllinois Application January 20, 1940, Serial No. 314,749

zcnims. (ci. eso-11.28) f The present invention relates to a roller skate construction and more particularly to ythe wheel roller or axlesupporting assembly. a

I The-.presentinyention more particularly conf- 5 templates a skate of the type provided with resiliently supported axle 'mountings adapted to permit the axles to yield with respect to the body portion of the skate and to swivel about predetermined axes for shifting the wheelsinto l planes adapted to facilitate turning and control.

To this end tle present invention provides suitable yielding or cushioning connections operatively associated with positive mechanical controls 4for directingI .the yieldable movements of 5 the axle assemblies in accordance with a predetermined plan. In constructions of this type, it has been found that the relatively movable parts are subjected to material wear and abrasion when-subjected l to regular and continuous use. The present vin -A vention concerns yet more particularly highf grade /skates of the type embodying a strong, permanent construction in which themain `or 25 body portions' are incapable of substantial ilexure.

l I have observed that, in high-grade skate constructions of which vI am aware, replacement and repair have been impractical or'impossible due 'to the corresponding necessity for replacing per' manently assembled portions offthe skate body which were originally constructed withla view to remaining permanently and undetachably connected. mus, it has been frequently necessary to discard the entire device due toexcessive wear of some relatively shiftable parts.

' It is accordingly anobject of the present invention to obviate the' foregoingdiiculties and to provide lan improved skate construction which embodies the foregoing permanence and rigidity 40 which characterizes the high-grade type of skate construction but in which the parts subjected .to frictional wear are replaceable by ordinary' unskilled persons.v

Another object ofthe present invention more l particularly contemplates the provision' of a main frame o r body portion rigidly and permanently constructed and permanently mounting mechan' ical supporting elementscomplementary to and adapted to coact with relatively movable carriage or axle supporting units so constructed and arranged as to facilitate replacement in the event ofwear. f

f Yet more particularly. the present invention contemplates a'construction, as above, in which Il the replaceable members wear or deteriorate in 'individual construction;

portion or'plate Il #providing-a heel-receiving enclosure l2, its rear extremity inturn carrying service, preferably without detrimental eiiect on the permanent portions of the body.

' It will thus be evident that, in accordance with these objects, the life of skates incorporating the present principles ismaterially lengthli ened and the operation improved.

The present invention, moreover, contemplates a new and improved disposition ofthe wheels of` a roller skate with respect vto the body p0rtion and has for its object to provide a mounting ,1

such that a new plan of resilient movement is provided wherein the wheel carriages are yieldably mounted for universal swivelingabout a predetermined point adjacent the front or rear por- 16' tion of the skate.

Other objects and advantages of the invention u willbe apparent from the following description, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein vFigure l is a perspective view of the roller 20 skate. embodying the presentinvention; A

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken centrally and longitudinally lthrough the skate of Figure 1 on'a vertical plane designatedby the line 2 2;

Figure 3 is a sectional detailed view taken from 25 the skateof Figure 2 on the vertical plane 3-3 thereof;

Figure 4 is a detailed sectional view taken on the line 4-'4 of Figure 3;

throughthe scale of `Figure 5 on the line'O-l 35 thereof;

-Figure 7 is a perspective view of parts coinprising the wheel carriage assembly, the parts being shown in spaced relation to indicate their Figure 8 is a view taken as in Figure 5 but showing yet a further modification of the present invention; and

Figure 9 is a perspective viewof the unit form- -l .ing the wheel carriage of Figure 8. -45

Referring to the figures of the drawings, wherein one illustrated embodiment of the present invention is disclosedv more in detail, I have shown-in Figure l, a roller skate having a body the 'conventional strap Il.

The present skate mounts four forward and rearward wheel orroller 'assemblies il andv Il,

both embodying the same principles. being sub- 55 stantially identical in general form of construc- -assemblies are mounted upon respective front and rear brackets 20 and 22 which cooperate with a central truss construction, identified generally by the reference numeral 24, for permanently rigidifying the body of the skate and providing a torsion resistant frame. To this end,-

it`wi1l be noted that each of the brackets is vpermanently associated with the plate i8 by riveted fasteners 26 and 28. It is to be particularly noted that central rivets 28 serve further to engage and permanently fasten a longitudinally extending strip or frame member 3l fforming a part of the central cooperating truss construction 24. The remainder of this truss consists of an angularly-formed Astrap 82 centrally fastened to the elongated upper strap 80 and to the plate i0 by means of a rivet fastener 84 provided with a central lspacing collar 86. It should be noted that the strap 32 is inclined downwardly, as at 38, on either side of its central point of securement to diverge from the frame member Ill, and

terminates in upwardly inclined attachment flanges 40 at either extremity.

The brackets 20 and 22 are each formed with adownwardly extending embossment 42 fofre` ceiving afastener 44 and, in terminating the clamping surfaces against the extremities .48 of the strap 32, are-clampingly received, as will be hereinafter more fully described. Thus. the portions 40 of the vstrap are centrally apertured to permit passage of the bolt 44, the extremity of which threadedly engages an interiorly threaded bore 46 in each embossment 42. It will be accordingly appreciated, from the foregoing, that the structural elements described cooperate as a permanent torsion resistant assembly. l The respective wheel assemblies comprise wheels or rollers 48 rotatably mounted by antifriction ball-bearings 50 upon transverse axles 52. Internally threaded fastening nuts I4 on theextremities of the axles cooperate with a central supporting bracket 58 to maintain the fixed axial disposition 'of each of the rollers upon its respective axle shaft. The construction of the axle bracket 66, as more clearly shown in Figures Zito 4, includes an integral sleeve 5l embracing the axle 62 and within which the axle 52 may be either, fixedly or slidably ensued. A laterally and generally horizontally extending flange 80 projects at a slightly downward inclination from the sleeve 58.

Eachange 80,asshowninFisure4,hasan annular periphery extending about anfannular, upwardlyfacing recess 62, formed to receive the lower endof a cylindrical. cushioning member 64. Attention is Particularly directed to the fact that the buffer 64, which is formed of rubber or any equivalent elastic material, is centrally apertured to permit passage of the stud shaft 44. and the buffer receiving flange is similarly apertured for an identical purpose, as at It. The upper vextremity of each of the cylindrical buffers is likewise received within a suitable annular cup 88,-through which the threaded stud 44 passes and resides adjacent a jam-nut 10.

From the foregoing,` it will be obvious'that the boltor stud 44 extends through the aperture '8i in the flange Gli. then axially centrally through cylindrical buer '64. and through the annular receiving cup 88. On the other side of the cup 88 the threaded shank 44 receives jam-nut 1l yand the truss attachment flange 4l, and termithe bracket 28, for example, spaced longitudinally from the bolt-'receiving embossment 42.

nates, as hereinbefore mentioned, within the iuternally threaded recess 46 in the permanent bracket, Accordingly, therefore, the truss extremity 40 is locked .between the jam-nut 10 and the embossment 42, while the resilient buffer 64 5 is oppositely embraced by the axle flange 60 'in the upper receiving cup 88.

Attention is particularly directed to the fact that the aperture 88 is relatively elongated in a forward direction -and is, moreover, defined by upwardly and outwardly taperedside walls. whereby the axle assembly may move angularly with respect to the axis of the fastener 44. The fastener in turn is provided with a headed portion 12 having va. frusta-conical tapered Aclamping surface bearinga frusto-conical washer 14. It is thought that it will be obvious from the foregoing that the truste-conical fastener portions 12 and 14 cooperate with the relatively A enlarged and tapered aperture Gli-to facilitate 20 the foregoing angular yielding ofthe wheel assemblies in service. f A The present invention contemplates controlled,' yieldable movement of the carriage about a pre-` determined point, in accordance with a fixed plan, to which end each bracket 58 connects' with the mainframe or body of the skate through the agency of an upwardly projecting arm 16 integral with the centralportion or sleevefi and projecting into engagement with one of the v80 brackets 28 and 22. To this end, arm 16 terminates in a hemispherlcal projection or ball 18 forming-the male element of a ball and socket joint and received within a suitable complementary socket formed within an embossment 88 in For accommodating the male pivot member 18,4 the embossment is provided with a hardened insert l2. More particularly, the hardened insert o i is selected from material of such relatively hard. y tough properties that it possessesv substantially absolute wear resistance, relative to the complementary portion 18. Thus,'in practical application of the present invention, the bracket, and

accordingly the lever arm 18 thereof, may be formed of any suitablecast material having the desired antifriction properties, as well as suitable structural'characteristics. To this end, for example, the brackets I8 may comprise malleabilized 50 iron or bronze. In cooperation4 therewith, it is accordingly desirable to provide a complementary insert 82 of suitable hardened steel.

Attention is accordingly particularly directed to thefact that the angulary movement of the-55 arm 18 about the ball and socket connection with the'insert 82, while necessarily andultimately resulting in some wear of' the frictionally shiftable parts, nevertheless, is incapablel of operating to detrimentally affect the insert 82. That is to 30 say, the superior hardness and wear. resistance of the insert are such that. the relatively softer material of thefprojection 181s incapable Vof v enacting appreciable wear.

While it is a corollary of the foregoing that all 'e5 .essential wear of the parts is concentrated at the frictional ball member 18, nevertheless, this member isreadily replaceable by a simple operation and involvonly the renewal of an inexpensive part. In other words. as will be obvious from the* foregoing disclosure, the mere removal ofone of the bolts or fasteners 44 permits the entire bracket I8. as well as the associated wheels or rollers, to fall away from the remainder of the skate assembly. A renewal' bracket 8l, fitting n properly with the socket insert this disposed in the position shown in Figure 2, and the fastening stud or bolt Il replaced and tightened until it tensions moderately against the resilient cylinder I have shown in Flgures to 'l a modification of the present invention wherein the hardened lsocketinsertl!issubstitutedliiya'socketmem- 'bei' Il of modified form. A's clearly apparent From the foregoing, it will be obvious, there-v fore, that the socket member Il may be `freelyl mounted in or removed from the bracket 2l. In

-accordance with the present embodiment, it should be further noted that the complementary ball element 9B oi the ball and socket joint similarly comprises a spherical portion integral with an outwardly-extending shank il. It should also be noted that the bracket or wheel carriage 58 receives the shank It in a position clearly shown in- Figure -6. The parts may be rigidly forced together or otherwise suitably engaged.

It should be noted that the present embodiment affords opportunity for employing a hardenedspherical ball 98 in conjunction with `a suitable complementary bearing socket Il. Thus,

- even after considerablewear the socket Il may be freely removed from the assembly for replacement. Various-other desirable combinations of bearing materials will at once occur to those skilled in the art after consideration of the foregoing teachings.4

' In spite of material wearing influences to which the relatively 'movable pivot portions are sub.'

jected. the present invention provides a skate Y 'construction which may be maintained regularly in perfect operating condition sufllclent to meet.

' the demands of theb most expert user. Of great significance, however, is the fact that' maintenance and repair do not involve-even a remote lvariation in the main frame er body of the skate. That is to say, the body portion, as well as asso-l ciated brackets, remain permanently and rigidly assembled, as does the permanent insert 82. These are accordingly never, throughout the life of the skate, released or disassembled. The insert l2 remains l'permanently in the position shown,

being located in the position shown under great frictional pressure or vpermanently engaged by a transverse pin or fastener, or in any other suitable 4manner. s i

It is also of particular importance to note that the present invention adapts-itself to the provision of special antifriction combinations at the l friction/ally engageable bearing\surfaces. Thus, I appreciate that metals in bearing contact exhibit Va superior frictional emciency when so selected that their atomic units exert a mutually repulsive action.- In accordance with the present invention, I am enabled to render available the advantages ofAv this principle by constructing the bracket of some suitable bearing material adapted to cooperate with the insert I2. Accordingly.

Y .with an insert formed or hardened steel, bracket Il may Vcomprise cast iron or the malleabliried4 assasss' Y lindrical members 6l about a point which is the means upon said body portion and disposing nently mounted on said body portion and rederivative thereof, or such material as bearing bronze.

In Figures 8 and 9 vI have shown a yet further modification of the present invention which, while devoid of many of the important features o'f the 5 -foregoing devices, nevertheless affords the same novel plan of yieldable coactionbetween the wheel carriages or brackets and the body of the skate. In other words, it willbe noted that in accordance with the present embodiment the embossment Il is. formed with a hein'ispherical` recess illlto receive a complementary ball or sphere |02 on the extremity of the carriage or bracket 5t.

. -While in accordance with the present embodi-l ment it will be seen that the features of replaceability are not -completely present, nevertheless it will be apparent that the wheel brackets 58 are still mounted so lthat they areresiliently yieldable slnl''f the yielding tension of the cycenter of the sphere |02. Thus it will be-seen that the pair of wheels of each wheel unit are not only yieldable upwardly and rearwardly with respect to the body of the skate, but that they i are substantially universally movable about the center of the sphere |02, The present invention, accordingly, providesfora plan of yieldable action 'whereby each wheel carriage' o r bracket is universally sbiftable about a predetermined point4 longitudinally spaced toward the extremity of so.

the skate body. This greatlyl facilitates the use and adaptability of skates and increases the en- -I-t will be obvious from the foregoing that `the present invention provides the above-mentioned improvements without adding appreciably, -if --at all, to the cost of production. .The foregoing improved results are obtained by the use of a minimum of jspeclal `materials, land the inserts are simple in form land adaptable rto rapid assembly. The instant axle bracket construction,- while performing numerous important functions, isadapted to creation by a simple casting or forming op' eration and requires only a minimum of material. In operation, accordingly.' the wheel assemblies are limited to a predeterminedpattem of movement'4 with respect to a pivot point within the socket 1I.

Changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacriilcing any of its attendant advantages, and the, right is hereby reserved to make all such changes as fairly fall withinl the scope of the following claims. l

The invention is hereby claimed as follows. 1. A roller skate construction comprising a body' portion, roller means associated with -said'body portion, and means for mounting said roller saidl roller means for yieldable movement relative to the body portion under the' application of predetermined f orces to the skate body,- said lastnamed means, comprising aroller supporting -f bracket resiliently associated with said body portion, 'said bracket having, an arm terminating in a relatively soft bearing extremity spaced from said roller means, and relatively hard.' wear-resistant, vcomplementary bearing means permaceiving said mst-named bearing means in bearing relationship for universal movement for dispcsin'g the wheels -within a predetermined path* of yieldable movement, said bearing extremity being formed oi'cooperating antifriction bearing u tion, a member projecting outwardly from axis of` said rollers into 'interengagement with assess: V i g Y said body portion, said memberbearing adjacent its outer extremity a ballpivot member. means providing a complementary socket recess for receiving said ball means and permanently mounted on the body portion of said socket, said recess providing means being formed otsubstantially relatively hard wear resistant material, and l the ball means received thereby being formed of cooperating complementary' antiiriction bear-` ing material which isfrelativeiy sott and adapt,-

`ed' to preferentially wear' when irictionfallyl actuateawumn memset. l v

ROBERT R. WARE.y 

